Child's Play
by Miriel Jex
Summary: Set early on in the interim between VI and VII, with a bit during VII. MAJOR FORCE AWAKENS SPOILERS! You have been warned. Please read, review, and enjoy!


"Ben, please," Bri whined.

"No, Bri," her older brother insisted. "Go play with Poe."

"All he wants to play is pilots," Bri complained. "Come _on_ , Ben, it's New Year's Eve. I'll even let you choose the game."

"I'm busy, Bri," Ben replied, trying to return to his book and ignore her, but his little sister was not easily dissuaded. She stood on her tip toes and shoved the book down so that she could look directly into his eyes.

"Please?" she asked again, with the best puppy dog eyes she could muster, and Ben broke.

"Hide and seek?" he suggested, smiling as she grinned wide.

"With lightsabers!" she beamed, and Ben rolled his eyes. She always lost, since he was bigger and faster, but she loved playing with the toy versions of their uncle's and grandfather's weapons.

"1, 2, 3," he counted, closing his eyes. Bri squealed and ran to the room she shared with her brother to grab her toy lightsaber. Then she returned to the sitting room, glancing around the small apartment on Coruscant they were staying in for the month, her brow furrowed as she looked for the perfect hiding spot. She hurried to the kitchen, opening a cupboard and moving the pots to one side as quietly as she could. She climbed in and closed the door, the glow of her toy the only light she had.

"49, 50! I hope you're hiding, because I'm seeking!" she heard Ben call from the sitting room, and she held her breath. She heard him stride to their room, presumably grabbing his toy lightsaber. Then he checked the sitting room and their parents' room.

"Where are you, Bri?" he sang and she giggled quietly. She heard his boots stomp into the kitchen to check behind the counter. This was her chance. She opened the cupboard door and rolled out past her brother and into the sitting room. She hopped to her feet and drew her toy lightsaber. Ben gave his a swing as he stepped out of the kitchen, facing off with her.

She struck first, as she always did, swinging hard from her right. He parried and lunged for her left side, but she danced away, giggling. Their play fight continued like this for some time, Ben going easy on her and she knew it. Eventually, however, he disarmed her as he always did, but Bri wasn't done yet. She stretched out her hand towards her room, and breathed slowly, summoning her lightsaber. It flew into her hand, but this one wasn't a toy. This was her real lightsaber, given to her by her parents for when her training would start in the new year.

Ben cocked an eyebrow at her, but she just laughed, not understanding the destructive force of the weapon in her hand. But he was not to be outdone by his sister, so he dropped his toy and summoned his own lightsaber, it flying to him much faster than hers had done. She just giggled again, pushing the button to activate the crystals. He started his up as well, and blue light danced around the room. They touched their lightsabers together for a moment before really going into it. They were so absorbed in their fight that they didn't hear their parents come in.

"…to just ignore them, Leia, they're not worth your time."

"I know, but PUT THOSE DOWN!" the General yelled at her children, and both immediately stopped what they were doing. Leia ran forward and scooped up her daughter, supporting her with one hand while the other grabbed the new lightsaber and deactivated it. Han placed a heavy hand on his son's shoulder, and the boy did the same.

"What were you thinking?!" Leia demanded. "You could have hurt each other very badly."

"We were just playing," Bri sniffled, tears forming in her eyes at her mother's outburst.

"I'm very disappointed in you, Ben," Han said solemnly. "You should know better."

"Don't be mad, Daddy," Bri whimpered. "It was my idea."

"I think it's time for bed," Leia commanded after a moment, setting Bri down. "Your father and I will tell you your consequences in the morning."

Ben hung his head and walked into their room silently, but Bri stopped at the door to look at her parents.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Twenty years later and lightyears away, a scream tore from Bri's throat at the red lightsaber positioned directly through her father's chest.

"Dad!" she yelled, running towards him across the narrow bridge, but she didn't reach him in time. He slipped off the bridge, plummeting down, and Bri fell to her knees, looking over the side. Grief and pain rocketed through her mind, heart, and body as she looked back up to the man she once called her brother. Their elaborate, galaxy-wide game of hide and seek had ended, but this time, she had no lightsaber.

She raised her blaster to fire at him, hate coursing through her for the destruction of her family. But she still loved him. Exasperated, she cried out in pain and threw the blaster at him. He dodged it easily as sobs wracked her body and she held herself tightly. Vaguely she heard blaster shots coming from behind her, but she didn't care. It felt as if her heart was caught in ice and engulfed in flames at the same time, and she screamed again. Little did she know the effect she was having on her brother. It hurt him far more than he would or could ever admit to see his little sister in so much pain, and he hated himself for it.

"End it," her broken voice cut through his thoughts. "It hurts too much, Ben. I can't live like this any longer. Do it."

Both of them looked at his lightsaber for a moment before their eyes met again. He looked and saw so much pain. She tried to look through her tears and saw nothing. She bowed her head again as more sobs gasped through her.

"Ben, please," she begged.

A/N: Thank you for reading, reviews are also much appreciated, and constructive criticism is always welcome. Please let me know if you think I should write more about Bri and Ben. If you liked this, please check out my other stories. Also, about the ending: sorry not sorry.

Stay awesome.

-MJ


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